What are seed beads?
Seed beads are very small beads, usually glass or acrylic, used primarily in bead weaving. Generally you'll want to use 8/0 or 11/0 sizes (the smaller the number, the larger the bead).
What is a collapsible eye needle?
The greatest invention known to beading-kind. It is a very thin, flexible needle with a large eye (the hole where you put the thread) that, as its name may suggest, collapses. Because beading needles by necessity need to be so thin, threading them can be tricky. With the collapsible eye needle, threading is a cinch, and it can still fit through the smallest of beads.
What is a toggle clasp? Why is it your favorite clasp?
A toggle clasp consists of a loop and a bar. To close, pull the bar all the way through the loop and then lay it flat. The toggle is my favorite clasp because it's sturdy, looks great, is easy to attach, and I find it to be the easiest sort of clasp to use, especially with bracelets.
What is Fire Mountain Gems?
Fire Mountain Gems sells beading and jewellery making supplies wholesale. They have a huge selection of all sorts of beads and semi-precious stones. They also provide a lot of great resources on their website for free, such as instructions, patterns, and video tutorials.
Why do you keep gushing about them? Do they pay you to promote their site?
Other than charging my credit card and sending me catalogs, Fire Mountain Gems has no idea that I exist. I simply believe that they are one of the best resources out there for beaders, and I've had a lot of great experiences with them. I would never recommend or say anything if I didn't believe it.
Why make your own jewellery? Why spend all that time when you could just buy it?
For the same reason that I make cupcakes: because I enjoy it. I can also personalize it to my own tastes and needs. And a lot of the time, I end up spending less when I make it myself.
